Part Five

The blooms were coming in early this year. Everything seemed alive. The colors were shyly coming forth and the abundance of their scents were beginning to make their comeback from the dead imposed winter. Adele stood quietly leaning against a veranda waiting for the sun to disappear into the horizon. Soon the world would be in darkness. Soon the night would come again and thoughts of Gillian in Candice's arms would torment her until the sun once again covered the earth. Her eyes shut as a fierce pain went through her.

"Hello, darling." A deeply sensual woman's voice made Adele turn around.

"Margot, I wasn't expecting you," Adele said as her semblance changed completely taking on a polite and aloof manner. She walked over to the woman and kissed her on the cheek.

"I have been trying to reach you for the past few days. I stopped by the house and Marco said you were here." She smiled as she started to sit in a nearby bench.

"I have been here for the last few days. Is there something in particular that you wanted?" Adele asked politely, sitting on the bench as well.

Margot looked up and searched the dark eyes looking at her. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing, why?" Adele looked away at the sun as it was quickly disappearing. "Soon it will be dusk," she said sadly.

Margot looked from Adele to the horizon and back to Adele again. "You know, when mother married your father I don't think I was prepared for it."

Adele turned and gave Margot her full attention.

"And when you and Franco were born I wasn't exactly happy." Margot smiled a little and looked down to her hands. "Until I saw you. You were the most beautiful child." Margot looked up and stared into her sister's eyes. "I think I fell in love with you right then."

Adele looked at her with surprise.

"I was sent away to boarding school soon after. You and Franco at least came home for the holiday's at the same time. What I am trying to say Adele is that we didn't exactly grow up together you and I but I do love you. And I can tell when something is wrong."

Adele looked away, needing so desperately to speak to someone and yet not quite sure that Margot should be the one she should confide in.

"When Franco died, I thought that you and I might grow closer together. After all, you and I are all we will have when Mama is gone. Then came Gillian….Gillian, where is Gillian?"

Adele did not turn to look at her nor did she speak.

"Oh, I see," Margot said sadly.

"There is nothing to see, Gillian is visiting her parents with Catty." Adele rose suddenly. "Is that why you came?"

"Adele, I am not .."

"Tell Mama that Gillian and I are still very happy. Nothing is wrong." Adele started walking away until Margot grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Adele, Franco is gone but I am here," Margot pleaded.

"All is well, Margot." Adele began to walk away then suddenly turned towards her sister. "Forgive me my manners. Will you be staying the night?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Very well, I shall have a room prepared for you and let cook know that you will be staying for dinner."

"Thank you." Margot said sadly, staring at Adele as she walked away. "I know that something is wrong and I am going to be here for you. Sooner or later you will realize that we are all we have now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Gillian, you look pale, are you feeling all right?"

Gillian swayed slightly and Candice immediately walked over to her and helped her sit down.

"I knew it. You are overdoing it," Candice said as she was brushing Gillian's hair from her face.

"I'm just a little tired," Gillian said as she laid back on the small bed. "I haven't been sleeping well."

"I know, sweetheart. Did you take your medication? Do you need me to get you anything?"

"No, just need to close my eyes for a few minutes," Gillian said as her eyes were closing. "Catty…"

"Don't worry about the baby, I will watch her, okay? You just rest for a bit." Before walking out of the room Candice looked back and saw that Gillian was already fast asleep. She seemed more tired all the time. Gillian would suddenly get pale and would almost faint. As soon as she woke up she would insist that she call the doctor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hello, Carlo." Margot walked up to her nephew and hugged him to her.

"Hello, Aunt Margot. I'm surprising mother."

"She should be down for dinner any minute now. How is school?" Margot asked as she walked to the settee nearby and daintily sat down.

"It's all going quite well, thank you. When did you arrive?" Carlo sat down in a wing backed chair close by. "How did you find mother?" He asked tentatively.

"She seems….sad." Margot looked down and then up at Carlo. "Gillian…." was all she said and when she saw the look in Carlos's eyes her suspicions were confirmed. Gillian was gone. And if truth be told she was glad it would finally come to an end. Adele had spend too much time on that woman.

"Did she tell you?" He asked nervously.

"She didn't have to." Margot played along. "Did she take Catty?"

"Yes, I think my mother is devastated," Carlo said sadly. "I miss them too."

"Carlo…"

Adele walked into the room at that precise moment.

"Carlo, what a pleasant surprise. Come give your mother a kiss." Adele opened her arms to her son.

He quickly got up and went into the warmth of her embrace. "I'm so happy that you have come," Adele said as she held him tightly to her.

Carlo then looked into his mother's eyes. "I am glad I came too."

"Good, I hope that you are hungry." Adele smiled.

"He has gotten so tall since the last time I saw him," Margot said as she rose from her seat.

"Yes," Adele said looking from her sister to her son. "He is a man now."

"He will always be your baby," Margot added.

"Yes." Adele's eyes seemed to get sadder.

"Has Catty grown much?" Margot asked innocently.

Carlo immediately turned to her. His eyes showed Margot how unpleased he was with her comment.

"She is getting bigger all the time," Adele said as she turned away from her sister. "Let's go in to dinner. Carlo, come." Adele reached for her son and they walked towards the dinning hall in silence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carlo and Margot sparred over dinner. Carlo was angry at himself because Margot had tricked him into revealing something that his mother obviously was choosing to keep private.

Towards the end of dinner civility was something that had disappeared. Adele, in the meantime, had been drinking large quantities of wine and tuned all the conversation around her out. It was night. All that kept going through her mind was that Gillian was with Candice. Where they making love? Was Candice touching her? Adele could not control the thoughts that tormented her each night. The more she drank the more distance she felt. She closed her eyes suddenly and just kept them closed.

Carlo said something to her and when she didn't answer he got up slowly and went to her.

"Come along, mama," he said gently into her ear. "I'm going to walk you upstairs."

Adele opened her eyes and stared into the eyes of her son. They suddenly filled with tears. "Thank you, my darling. I am rather tired." She tried getting up and failed.

Carlo put his arm around her and helped her up from the chair.

"I know, mama. When you sleep you will feel better."

"It's late into the evening isn't….why are the nights so long, Carlo? Why are the nights so long?" She repeated as she clung to her son.

Margot watched them both go up the staircase.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gillian woke up to the darkness and tried getting up slowly.

"Don't, just keep resting," Candice said in the dark.

"Candy?"

"I'm right here."

"Catty?"

"I put her to bed. She is sound asleep."

Candice reached out to her and held her hand. "Lie down, you need your rest."

"I want to see her, Candice." Gillian began to cry. "I want to see my baby."

"Okay, honey, come on. I'll help you okay?"

Candice walked over to the other side of the bed and helped Gillian up. She held on to her as she swayed a bit. "Are you really okay?"

"Yes," Gillian answered softly.

Slowly they walked into another bedroom. The nightlight was on and Gillian walked rest of the way to her daughter's bed on her own. She sat down and lightly caressed the dark locks of hair. Her heart felt the tightness as her little girl turned towards her in her sleep and began to suck her thumb.

Gillian smiled and pulled it out slowly remembering how Adele would do it and then would indulgently smile at their child. Catty slowly opened her eyes and stared at her mother.

"Is mama home?" Catty asked softly.

Gillian caressed her face gently. "No, baby."

"I want her." Catty pouted.

"You will see mama soon, I promise," Gillian answered as she kept caressing the dark locks of her little daughter.

"Sleep with me?"

"Yes, baby, I'm going to sleep with you." Gillian lied down and her daughter instantly filled her arms."

"Night, mommy," Catty said as she closed her eyes.

"Night, baby." Gillian's eyes closed too as Candice closed the door softly as she left the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carlo helped his mother into her room. She sat down on the bed and leaned her head to one of the posts of the bed close by.

"Mother…"

"I don't understand, Carlo. I don't understand," Adele said as she looked up to her son.

"Mother, please don't do this to yourself," Carlo said as he sat next to her.

"I don't know what I did. I thought she was happy." Tears ran down her face.

Carlo placed his hand around hers and squeezed it.

"I don't understand….. I don't understand." She shook her head. "I gave her my world." Adele got up and began to pace. "How could she do this!"

"Mama, please." Carlo got up as well. "Get some rest."

"Did she say something to you?" Adele stopped and stared at him. "Did she!"

"I don't know why she left, mama. I don't understand either." Carlo said sadly. "I miss them."

"She will come back," Adele said suddenly. "I will make her come back."

Carlo looked at her questioning.

"She will come back." She kissed him on the cheek. "Good night darling, go to bed now. All will be well soon."

"Mama…" Carlo was not sure whether she was just too drunk or completely building an illusion that somehow he knew would never come to pass. Perhaps once she got some rest things would seem clearer. He said his goodnight and left her as she had requested.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Adele…" Margot said softly as she walked into the darkened room. "Adele…"

She had waited most of the night until she thought that her sister would be willing to listen. As she walked into the room her feet tipped over a few bottles. She knelt down and picked up three. Margot smelled the wine that they had once contained.

Gently she put the bottles on a nearby table. "Adele?"

Margot approached the bed slowly as she heard moaning. "Adele?"

"Gillian…." Adele moaned, mumbling other words.

Margot knew instantly that Adele was beyond comprehending anything at this point as she got closer and closer.

"Gillian, amore…..come…" Adele pleaded. "Amore…."

When Margot reached the side of the bed she saw Adele's partially naked body sprawled on the bed. Her sleep was tormented as she was obviously calling for Gillian.

Margot leaned down and tried to remove the hair from Adele's forehead. Her hand was suddenly taken and she was pulled into Adele's embrace. "Gillian…."

Margot pulled away only a bit and looked down at the beauty of Adele's body so close to her. Her hand tentatively touched the softness of the stomach muscles as they twitched when touched. "Gillian…." Adele moaned again in her drunken stupor.

Margot then leaned down and kissed her soundly on the mouth. "I'm here. Kiss me," she whispered.

"Gillian…" Adele moaned as her lips desperately sought the kiss.

She had felt lips kissing her and as her body had begun to be caressed the darkness that she had despaired in completely swallowed her into its oblivion.

"Gillian …" she sobbed in desperation as she completely lost consciousness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Candice…"

Candice sat up quickly. "What?"

"I need you," Gillian said as she suddenly fell to her knees.

"Oh God." Candice got out of bed and ran to her immediately and dropped to the floor.

"I'm here, baby. I'm here." Candice tried helping her off the floor.

"I need to call the doctor. Oh God, Candice, I hurt so much," Gillian finished saying before her legs gave out beneath her.

"Gillian." Candice tried hard to control her emotions.

"I feel sick, help me, I feel like I'm going to be sick."

Candice held her up as she helped her to the bathroom. Gillian was so weak she could barely stand.

"Call Dr. Lapandusa, I need him." Gillian managed to say before she started to empty her stomach in the toilet.

Candice held on to her forehead. "I will, baby, as soon as you are doing better. I'm afraid to leave you alone."

Gillian leaned back against the wall closest to her.

"I'm better, call him, Candy, please." Gillian closed her eyes as she leaned her head back. "Call him."

"Okay, okay, baby. I'll be right back."

Tears rolled down Gillian's cheeks as she whispered, "Dell, I need you so much right now." If only she could feel Adele's arms around her she would feel better, she kept telling herself. The thought of it, however, only made her cry all the harder.

She covered her mouth as she rushed to the toilet before her stomach began to heave again. Candice rushed back in and knelt down next to her.

"Oh God, baby." She got up and got a wet hand towel and began to wipe Gillian's face as she pulled her head up. "He's on his way. Do you want to try and lay down, Gilly?"

Gillian nodded and leaned on Candice as she helped her walk back into the bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Margot, I have been calling you for days!" The male voice said in desperation. "I have been waiting for you."

"Darling, Andrew, I will meet you tomorrow," Margot purred into the phone.

"You said you would contact me as soon as you reached the states!"

"Don't be sulky, darling. I will make you glad you waited." Margot opened her robe. She began to caress her body with her free hand. "Mmmm…"

"Margot…"

"I will see you tomorrow, lover, now let me sleep," she said seductively to the man captivated on the other side of the phone. "The things that I will do with you tomorrow will take all of me."

Margot was not surprised by the silence. As planned, all was going to happen as she wished. "Good night, Andrew."

She hung up the receiver then raised her fingers to her nose. "Mmm…nothing will keep me from what I want. God, I love the smell of her."

Margot smiled as she fell asleep remembering all that she had just done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Candice rushed to the door.

"Good evening. I am Doctor Lanpanduza. I believe we spoke on the telephone."

"Yes, come in, Doctor, please." Candice let him in and closed the door behind him. "She is having a terrible episode. Please come this way."

"I brought a stronger dose to give her by injection. We are going to have to reevaluate her medication," he said as he followed Candice in to the bedroom.

Candice walked up to Gillian's bedside and leaned down. She whispered softly so as not to frighten her anymore than she was already. She had known Gillian almost her whole life and she knew that she was scared. She was really scared.

"Gilly baby, the doctor is here," Candice said softly.

Gillian's eyes fluttered opened and when her eyes met the doctor's eyes a smile appeared slowly. "Hello, Doctor."

"Hello, Mrs. Visconti." He walked up to her and sat down on the bed. He immediately reached for her wrist and proceeded to take her pulse. "You have been a bad girl haven't you, Gillian." He looked up and regarded the paleness of her face. "I told you that the medicine will take its toll and that you must take care."

"I know, I'm sorry."

He looked up at Candice.

"It's all right, she knows. You can speak in front of her."

The doctor nodded and opened the bag that he had placed on the night stand when he had sat down.

"I am going to give you a shot to help you along. Gillian, you must slow down or this will quicken things. Do you understand?" He said gravely to her.

"I will better care, thank you for coming so quickly."

"I have served the Visconti family for over 30 years; I delivered your daughter. I'm sorry I was the one to have to give you this news," he said sadly as his head bowed.

"You have been my strength. I could not have done this without you. And this is for the best. I count on you to keep your promise to me." Gillian placed her hand lightly on his arm. "It is best for her; you and I both know that."

The doctor looked up somberly. "Have you decided about the baby?"

"Yes, I won't condemn my child to death upon its birth," she said sadly.

"I will make the arrangements." He looked away and reached for the syringe.

"There is no chance for my baby, is there?" She knew the answer before she asked.

"I'm sorry, Gillian, none." He proceeded to give her the injection.

"Does it have to be so soon?" She asked as she placed a hand in her abdomen protectively.

"The sooner you do it the more strength you can count on. Later on it will take too much from you. I will make the arrangement and get in touch with you," he said as he began to put his instruments back into his bag.

"She must never know. I don't want her to ever know," Gillian said holding back a sob.

"I will never tell her."

"Thank you."

"I will let you rest now. It will take a few days before you have all your strength back. I want to see you again then, unless you have another episode. We will see about the arrangement then all right?"

"All right. Thank you, be there for her when…."

"Rest now." He patted her hand lightly, got up and followed Candice out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Candice let the doctor out and instead of going back to Gillian she walked up to the glass wall of the expansive living room. Something inside her just needed time to digest it all. No matter how she thought about it and turned it around and around, she could not always just forget it. And it hurt so very much that sometimes the pain of knowing was unbearable like now. She had to be strong. This was her chance, her time with the woman that had taken her heart and had held it for most of her life. Gillian was dying. Her Gillian was dying.

Candice's head bowed down as her body began to shake with the sobbing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adele's eyes opened slowly. The light coming through the curtains were causing her headache to grow in magnitude. She tried sitting up slowly and felt a terrible ache all over her body. Her muscles felt like lead as she leaned towards the backboard and her head throbbed.

"Oh God, I feel like death," Adele mumbled. She tried getting up and sat down again quickly as she felt a sharp pain between her legs. Adele gritted her teeth and groaned. Her whole body ached.

She felt a light knock on the door before it opened.

"Good morning," said Margot as she walked in. "Or maybe I should say good afternoon."

"In the name of God, Margot, please speak softly. My head feels like it's going to fall off," Adele said as she clung to the bed post.

"Let me help you." Margot approached her slowly.

Adele tried pulling the sheet to cover her nakedness.

"Here." Margot helped cover her.

"Thank you," Adele said as she looked at her sister.

Margot caressed her face softly. "I'm going to run your bath and then I will help you get in it," she said as she was walking towards the bathroom.

"Why are you doing this, Margot?" Adele could not keep the sarcasm from her voice.

"Because you need it. Because I'm your sister and because I think you need me right now," she said simply, then walked into the bathroom leaving Adele to think about the words that her sister had unexpectedly had said.

Adele heard the water running and again just let her head lean on the post of the bed. She closed her eyes trying to come to some kind of control over her body that refused to cooperate.

Suddenly she felt a light touch on her arm and her eyes opened to the ones of her sister in front of her.

"Come, let me take care of you. Just this once let me do that." Margot implored.

Adele's head nodded and allowed her sister to help her up and walk her to the tub.

"How much wine did you drink?" Margot asked as she helped guide her into the bathroom. She tried pulling the sheet away, but Adele held onto it.

"Come on, I will help you into the tub. Come on, let's go" Margot insisted gently, Adele let go of the sheet as Margot helped her into the tub.

"Mmm…that feels good." Adele said as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back.

Margot watched her hungrily.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you feeling better?" Candice asked as she walked in with a tray followed by Catty.

"Hi, mommy," Catty said as she got into bed with her mother.

"I'm feeling much better, thank you." She smiled at Candice and then turned to her daughter. "Good morning, sweet pea."

Catty giggled and snuggled next to her mother.

"I brought my two favorite ladies breakfast in bed," Candice said as she placed the tray over Gillian's legs as she sat up.

"That is so kind of you." Gillian met Candice's eyes and smiled. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"You don't have to find out. I am here. I love you," Candice said softly as she looked towards Catty. She didn't want to see how Gillian's eyes would react to the words she had just voiced.

She was surprised when she felt Gillian's hand on hers. Candice looked up and found the tenderness she had always seen in those eyes and for now that was everything.

"Mommy, juice please," Catty said sweetly. Both women smiled and began to eat the breakfast in front of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why are you really here, Margot?" Adele asked as she lay in the tub. Her head was still leaning back and her eyes had remained closed.

"Because, I don't want …"

Adele opened her eyes and tried sitting up a little a she saw Margot turn away from her. She waited for Margot to formulate an answer.

"I don't want to feel alone anymore… and I think that you are lonely too." Margot turned around with tear filled eyes. "You are part of me…I want to love you. I want you to know that I will be there if you need me."

Adele said nothing as she searched her face. The words had surprised her. She and Margot had always had a strange relationship. They had been more strangers then sisters for the past few years and after Franco had died she had to admit that she had considered reaching out to Margot as well. But Gillian had soothed the pain of loosing her beloved twin brother and somehow building a relationship with Margot always seemed….what did she feel about her sister? There was something about Margot that she didn't understand.

Margot had been 12 when she and Franco were born. Her mother Angelina Masaretti had married Sir George Lancaster, an English gentlemen who, in the end, had not great fortune, possessing only his title. Angelina gave birth to Margot and refused to provide the male heir that Sir Lancaster so dearly desired. He was madly in love with his Italian wife, but ten years later he was replaced in her affections by her next prospect Count Victor Visconti de Caravagio.

Angelina divorced her English Lord and married her Italian Count with a year. Franco and Adele were born six months after they marriage. Victor was very much enamored with her and madly in love with his children. Angelina had given him a son and a daughter. He lavished extravagant gifts on her and was generous with Margot, his step daughter, as well. Unfortunately, Victor was killed while flying one of his planes leaving his young children the heirs to one of the greatest fortune in Italy. The stipulation was simple. Blood always inherited blood. Wives in his family were left an allowance but children were the ones that inherited.

Margot, along with their mother, seemed to be living in luxury but had very little means to truly spend. In time Angelina began to look for other prospects and Margot upon her 20th birthday noticed her beautiful sister.

"This piece of cake is specially for you." Margot had handed the young Adele a plate.

"But the first piece is for the birthday person," Adele replied, surprised.

"It pleases me that you should have it." Margot smiled and was pleased to see the smile on her sister's lips.

"Thank you," Adele said as she took the plate.

"You are welcome."



Adele remembered the times that she had looked up to her big sister. Margot and her mother had been her heroes. Margot would spoil her and take her to the park. Margo would sneak her ice cream up to her room when their mother would despair of her antics and would send her to bed. She had loved Margot until Margot had told run to her their mother to tell her about a girl that Adele had been enamored of.

She had trusted Margot with this knowledge and the betrayal of that trust had always been their between them.

Margot then turned to her. "I can't change the past, Adele, I can only wish that you and I were close again. You know I love you. It is time that you forgive me and let me be here for you. I know that Gillian is gone." Margot saw the pain immediately register in Adele's eyes. "I'm so very sorry."

Adele looked away as her eyes filled with tears she could not control from falling. And it took them both by surprise when Adele's body began to shake as she sobbed and covered her face. She could no longer control the anguish inside her. Her heart was breaking and nothing would ever make it heal.

Margot went to her and held her. She was surprised when Adele's arms went out to her and clung to her as she wept.

Margot began to caress her hair. "It will be all right. I'm here to hold you. It will be all right." She kissed Adele's head and closed her eyes in ecstasy as she held her sister closer to her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adele walked up to the limousine as it pulled up in front of the house.

The back door opened unceremoniously as her daughter ran out and filled her arms.

"Mama, mama!"

Adele picked her up and held her tightly to her.

"I missed you, my principesa," she said as she buried her face in her daughter's hair. She took in the sweet smell of her little girl. At that moment she realized how much her soul ached as she held her precious child to her.

Gillian then got out slowly and Adele's eyes immediately locked with hers.

"Good morning, Gillian," Adele said as she put her daughter down gently.

"Mama." Catty pulled at her mother's hand.

"Yes, darling?" Adele looked down at their daughter indulgently.

"I don't want you to go away anymore," Catty said to her mother.

Adele looked towards Gillian who seemed confused as well.

"I haven't gone anywhere, darling. I'm right here." Adele said as she knelt down in front of her daughter.

"I want you and mommy, don't go away anymore." Catty put her little arms around Adele's neck.

Adele's eyes filled with tears as she stood up holding her daughter tightly to her. Her eyes became black chips of accusation at Gillian who looked away sadly.

Adele walked into the house with Catty in her arms as Gillian walked in behind her.

Continued...